Founded 130 years ago, Roedean School is perhaps one of the world’s best-known schools for girls aged 11 to 18. It is quite rightly famed for its fine academic and pastoral achievements. Now the school has added a further accolade to that list: another CAP Gold Award that once again recognises the peerless performance of its housekeeping staff.

The Continuous Advancement Programme (CAP) for Housekeeping is a nationally-recognised honour. Members of the programme share a passion for raising the standards of housekeeping in schools and healthcare throughout the UK and Ireland.

Roedean School’s housekeeping team achieved the hard-won CAP Gold on two previous occasions: in January and December 2015. This May, the department landed the hat-trick with a third Gold award. To participate in the programme at this top level, the school must open its doors to an industry expert from the CAP programme – and grant access to all areas. The CAP Gold is particularly challenging as it can only be attained where a school is prepared to submit to an unannounced visit from the CAP Inspection team and achieves high standards of practice throughout the housekeeping department.

For this year’s housekeeping assessment, the CAP inspector noted robust training practices, evidenced by a staff that was enthusiastic about participating in the programme. “It is a large site with a range of building styles, old and new,” commented the senior CAP Assessor. “Yet no matter where in the school we performed our assessment processes, a housekeeper was to be found wearing a smile. It’s great to see that level of confidence and pleasing to note how it reflects the pride in their work.”

Roedean’s Domestic Bursar, Kate Hawley, is delighted with the CAP Assessor’s observation, adding: “Members of the housekeeping team never cease to surprise me with their determination and commitment to the task at hand while always remaining infectiously cheerful. They fully deserve this prestigious national award.”